before?” asked Alex.
“Does arguing with Sarge count?”
“If so,” said Vijay, “you lost every fight you’ve ever been in.”
“Step off, nerdburger, or I won’t save your skinny ass.”
“With you, I’m as good as dead,” said Vijay. “But at least I won’t die a virgin like Jenny.”
Jenny grimaced.
“We’re going into battle,” said Alex. “Stop acting like idiots. Fall in line and follow orders.”
Goldstreak saluted. “Aye-aye, Major Dick.”
Alex stepped towards him. Goldstreak jumped back so quickly it created a whoosh.
Jenny cupped her hands. The air got cold.
A gust of wind knocked Goldstreak against the wall.
Goldstreak rubbed his elbow. “Whose side are you on, Jenny?”
Alex grabbed Goldstreak’s hood and lifted him by it. “Fall in line, listen to me, or you are dead. Got it?”
Deon rolled his eyes.
Alex got so close he almost bit Goldstreak’s nose. “Got it?”
“Fine, whatever.”
Alex dropped Goldstreak and walked to the elevators. The rest of the Prospects followed.
“You’re as flat in real life as you are in the comics,” said Goldstreak. “By that, I mean as flat as the paper you’re printed on.”
“I don’t read comics anymore,” said Alex.
“And you don’t do anything neat in them either,” said Candilyn. “You’re just a background character who says big words about stupid laws.”
“Then they captured me perfectly,” said Alex.
“Yo,” said Goldstreak, “all you MAB agents do is listen to villains complain about how mean heroes are to them.”
“If someone makes a complaint, I investigate it,” said Alex.
“So you’re really on the villains’ side?”
“It’s an adversarial process.”
“A what?”
“I have a degree in pre-law with a focus on metahuman cases. It took me four years to lean what you can’t understand.”
“Whatever, man.”
“What is it with you, Deon?” said Vijay. “You kissed Sergeant Hammer’s ass but you’re busting this guy’s balls.”
“I like Sarge.”
“Why?” said Jenny. “He’s a bully.”
Vijay said, “He’s so far behind the times he asked where to put the paper in his tablet.”
“See?” said Candilyn. “There are people stupider than me.”
“Not many,” said Vijay.
Alex asked, “Has anyone been to the research labs before?”
“I always wanted go,” said Vijay.
“Meh,” said Candilyn. “What’s there that’s not in the trophy room?
“The trophy room is full of non-functioning replicas for tourists,” said Alex. “The research lab is where Jim’s geeks backward-engineers all the fancy gadgets we get from defeated supervillains.”
“So that’s how Griffin Industries always comes up with new inventions,” said Vijay. “No wonder Mister Griffin is so rich.”
“That,” Alex said, “and he owns the trademarks to every member of the New York Guardians. He gets money from all of the comics, movies, and everything else.”
“Do you get a cut too?” asked Candilyn.
“As a government agent, I cannot accept any financial compensation from the legally recognized team under my supervision.”
“Huh?” said Candilyn.
“He’s a stooge, so he gets no money,” said Vijay. “It’s called a brain, Candilyn. Try something new and use it.”
The elevator door opened to a laboratory lit only by emergency lights. The flashing red beams showed various weapons and armors once wielded by the enemies of the New York Guardians.
“I have full access to the facility,” said Alex. “Every now and then I do a round to make sure no one’s doing anything evil.”
The Prospects looked around in wide-eyed amazement. The walls and workstations held trademark weapons from some of the world’s most famous defeated villains.
Vijay whistled.
“There’s Big Bad Roy’s power chainsaw,” said Jenny.
“And that’s Wyckedblade’s knife-sprouting suit,” said Candilyn.
Goldstreak pointed to a jagged metal oval frame. “What’s that?”
“Something
“Does arguing with Sarge count?”
“If so,” said Vijay, “you lost every fight you’ve ever been in.”
“Step off, nerdburger, or I won’t save your skinny ass.”
“With you, I’m as good as dead,” said Vijay. “But at least I won’t die a virgin like Jenny.”
Jenny grimaced.
“We’re going into battle,” said Alex. “Stop acting like idiots. Fall in line and follow orders.”
Goldstreak saluted. “Aye-aye, Major Dick.”
Alex stepped towards him. Goldstreak jumped back so quickly it created a whoosh.
Jenny cupped her hands. The air got cold.
A gust of wind knocked Goldstreak against the wall.
Goldstreak rubbed his elbow. “Whose side are you on, Jenny?”
Alex grabbed Goldstreak’s hood and lifted him by it. “Fall in line, listen to me, or you are dead. Got it?”
Deon rolled his eyes.
Alex got so close he almost bit Goldstreak’s nose. “Got it?”
“Fine, whatever.”
Alex dropped Goldstreak and walked to the elevators. The rest of the Prospects followed.
“You’re as flat in real life as you are in the comics,” said Goldstreak. “By that, I mean as flat as the paper you’re printed on.”
“I don’t read comics anymore,” said Alex.
“And you don’t do anything neat in them either,” said Candilyn. “You’re just a background character who says big words about stupid laws.”
“Then they captured me perfectly,” said Alex.
“Yo,” said Goldstreak, “all you MAB agents do is listen to villains complain about how mean heroes are to them.”
“If someone makes a complaint, I investigate it,” said Alex.
“So you’re really on the villains’ side?”
“It’s an adversarial process.”
“A what?”
“I have a degree in pre-law with a focus on metahuman cases. It took me four years to lean what you can’t understand.”
“Whatever, man.”
“What is it with you, Deon?” said Vijay. “You kissed Sergeant Hammer’s ass but you’re busting this guy’s balls.”
“I like Sarge.”
“Why?” said Jenny. “He’s a bully.”
Vijay said, “He’s so far behind the times he asked where to put the paper in his tablet.”
“See?” said Candilyn. “There are people stupider than me.”
“Not many,” said Vijay.
Alex asked, “Has anyone been to the research labs before?”
“I always wanted go,” said Vijay.
“Meh,” said Candilyn. “What’s there that’s not in the trophy room?
“The trophy room is full of non-functioning replicas for tourists,” said Alex. “The research lab is where Jim’s geeks backward-engineers all the fancy gadgets we get from defeated supervillains.”
“So that’s how Griffin Industries always comes up with new inventions,” said Vijay. “No wonder Mister Griffin is so rich.”
“That,” Alex said, “and he owns the trademarks to every member of the New York Guardians. He gets money from all of the comics, movies, and everything else.”
“Do you get a cut too?” asked Candilyn.
“As a government agent, I cannot accept any financial compensation from the legally recognized team under my supervision.”
“Huh?” said Candilyn.
“He’s a stooge, so he gets no money,” said Vijay. “It’s called a brain, Candilyn. Try something new and use it.”
The elevator door opened to a laboratory lit only by emergency lights. The flashing red beams showed various weapons and armors once wielded by the enemies of the New York Guardians.
“I have full access to the facility,” said Alex. “Every now and then I do a round to make sure no one’s doing anything evil.”
The Prospects looked around in wide-eyed amazement. The walls and workstations held trademark weapons from some of the world’s most famous defeated villains.
Vijay whistled.
“There’s Big Bad Roy’s power chainsaw,” said Jenny.
“And that’s Wyckedblade’s knife-sprouting suit,” said Candilyn.
Goldstreak pointed to a jagged metal oval frame. “What’s that?”
“Something
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